October 30, 2003

Getting on

David Martin, a Research Fellow at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at ANU, argues that a fundamental issue confronting Australian indigenous groups and communities is how to develop the capacity to engage strategically with the general Australian society. His paper, 'Rethinking the design of indigenous organisations: The need for strategic engagement, focuses on 'principles for effective governance within indigenous organisations' and calls for indigenous people to 'develop distinctively indigenous institutions which nonetheless facilitate effective engagement rather than limiting it'. The full paper is at http://online.anu.edu.au/caepr/Publications/DP/2003_DP248.pdf.

Another paper from the same centre, entitled 'Governance for sustainable development: Strategic issues and principles for Indigenous Australian
communities' by Mick Dodson and Diane Smith, 'defines the key concepts and reviews the existing barriers facing Indigenous communities and their organisations in securing sustainable socioeconomic development ... On the premise that it is best to make a start in areas where local control can be exercised, building "good governance" is identified as the key ingredient—the foundation stone—for building sustainable development in communities and regions. The paper proposes a set of key ingredients and core principles which Indigenous communities might use to build more effective governance. Read the full piece at http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/Publications/DP/2003_DP250.pdf.

August 15, 2003

ATSIC review

The Parliamentary Library has done a Research Note on the ATSIC review. It's at http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2003-04/04rn05.pdf. They see no simple solutions to the challenges raised by the review process, and they are probably right, especially now that ATSIC chairman Geoff Clark has been removed from office by the Minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs, Philip Ruddock.

Boldly going ...

Mick Dodson talked to the National Press Club this week about the different forms of violence afflicting Aboriginal communities, such as violence between, and against, Aboriginal people, domestic violence between partners, sexual violence, self harm and suicide, and other forms. Read the full text of his remarlks at http://law.anu.edu.au/anuiia/dodson.pdf.

June 02, 2003

ATSIC review

The Parliamentary Library has produced a Current Issues Brief called "Make or Break? A Background to the ATSIC Changes and the ATSIC review". It's in PDF at http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/CIB/2002-03/03cib29.pdf. The brief "discusses the recently announced ATSIC changes and the ATSIC review. It also provides a brief overview of ATSIC: including discussion of ATSIC's history, its functions and roles, its structure and governance, its funding arrangements, and its record in accountability."

April 10, 2003

New Tok Pisin Web site from Radio Australia

Radio Australia has boosted its services to Tok Pisin listeners by launching a new Web site.Tok Pisin supplies regional news and information from Radio Australia, and programs from its Tok Pisin Language Service. (Tok Pisin or Pidgin is the common language of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.) See it online at http://www.abc.net.au/ra/tokpisin/.

November 08, 2002

Protocols for Indigenous communities

MessageStick, the ABC's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Online section, has produced a protocol journalists should use when communicating with indigenous communities at http://www.abc.net.au/message/proper/. There is other useful information at the site. Thanks to Dan Van Blarcom for the tip.